WBB GAMES NOTES AT SOUTHERN NAZARENE: JANUARY 16, 2025

ARKADELPHIA, Ark.  -  In a battle between two of the GAC's current top five teams, Henderson State is set to face Southern Nazarene on Thursday, January 16. Tip-off at the Sawyer Center in Bethany, Oklahoma, is slated for 5:30 p.m.

REDDIES NOTES
Henderson State travels to Bethany after winning four of its last six games. In their last meeting with the Crimson Storm, the Reddies handed SNU one of its three losses for the entire season in the semifinal round of the 2024 GAC Tournament. An 81-77 win over a top-seeded Southern Nazarene proved key in HSU's run to its first GAC title.

Natalie Cardenas led the team with 21 points in Saturday's win against Northwestern. The sophomore from Mesquite, Texas, has reached double digits in six of nine contests since returning from injury on November 30, including three games of more than 20 points.

Brynlee Huggins scored 12 against the Rangers, marking the 11th time in her last 12 games that she has scored a dozen or more. Her 16.4 points per game average ranks third in the GAC.

Klowie Pike was a perfect five-for-five from three-point range versus NWOSU en route to a season-high 16 points.

Makenna Winans (7.9) and Bobbi Bazzle (7.0) are fifth and sixth, respectively, on the GAC leaderboard for rebounds per game.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN NAZARENE
Southern Nazarene prepares to face Henderson after winning three of its four meetings with the Reddies during the 2023-24 season (including a 70-61 victory in the NCAA Tournament). SNU has not lost at home against HSU since February 3, 2018 (a 63-57 defeat).

Hannah Giddey swept the latest edition of the GAC Player of the Week Awards after averaging a double-double against Harding and Arkansas Tech. She leads the team in points per game (15.4), rebounds per game (9.4), and assists per game (4.4). Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Giddey paces the conferences with 2.6 blocked shots per game.

With 2.4 steals per game (tied for second in the GAC), guard Katie King is consistently a takeaway threat.

Since the start of conference play, SNU has allowed a conference-best 54 points per game on defense. On offense, the Crimson Storm checks in at No. 5 with 65.8 points per game.

LIVE COVERAGE
To access live stats and additional live coverage of Thursday's game, please visit hsusports.com/coverage.